Device for vacuum sealing



Dec. 20, 1966 M. KAPEKER DEVICE FOR VACUUM SEALING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 16, 1964 ,4 rrop/wsy Dec. 20, 1966 M. KAPEKER 3,292,342

DEVICE FOR VACUUM SEALING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 16, 1964 IN v ENTOR. M/ r/N 6425 6 United States Patent 3,292,342 DEVICE FOR VACUUM SEALING Martin Kapeker, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignor to Copiague Research and Development Company, Copiague, N.Y. Filed Jan. 16, 1964. Ser. No. 338,228 6 Claims. (Cl. 53-101) This invention relates to the field of dehydration and evacuation under low-temperature high-vacuum (generally known as freeze drying), and has for its objective the creation of a device by means of which one or more flasks or receptacles, disposed within a vacuum chamber and containing organic or inorganic material which has been dehydrated by the freeze drying process, can be effectively vacuum-sealed while still within the chamber and without breaking the vacuum set up in the chamber.

In the present state of the art of dehydration and evacuation by freeze drying, the dehydration process is generally performed by attaching flasks, containing the material to be dehydrated, individually to the ports of the freeze drying apparatus, and removing them individually from their respective ports when dehydration is completed. Such flasks may be removed from, and attached to, their respective ports without breaking the vacuum set up in the manifold, or chamber, of the apparatus by the use of vacuum valves, such as disclosed in my copending application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 258,036, filed February 12, 1963. In other present uses flasks of material to be dehydrated are disposed within the vacuum chamber itself and, when dehydrated, removed therefrom. Such removal, however, requires breaking the vacuum within the chamber to get at the flasks.

It has been found extremely desirable, and in many instances, such as with materials like blood, viruses, sera and the like, important to seal the flasks in the same vacuum that was originally created, and to retain these flasks under vacuum seal until ready for use. Several methods have heretofore been used to accomplish this result, employing expensive and complicated mechanisms, but such systems have been costly to maintain, operate and repair.

It is the principal object of my invention, therefore, to create a sealing device by means of which receptacles containing material dehydrated under vacuum can be effectively sealed under vacuum before withdrawal from the vacuum chamber in which they were evacuated.

A second important object of my invention lies in the creation of a sealing device, adapted to seal containers under vacuum, which is simple to install and to operate.

A third important object of my invention lies in the provision of a sealing device of the type described which is inexpensive to manufacture and which can be employed on many existing styles of freeze dryers without any particular adaptation therefor.

These and other salient objects, advantages and functional features of my invention, together with the novel features of construction, composition and arrangement of parts, will be more readily apparent from an examination of the following description, taken with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of my invention disposed in operative position upon a freeze drying apparatus;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, vertical crosssectional view, partly broken away, of the sealing device and vacuum chamber shown in FIG. 1, before sealing the flasks;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the position of the sealing device after sealing the flasks;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged top perspective view of the tray used to support the flasks in the vacuum chamber of the freeze drying apparatus;

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FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the sealing device, taken on lines 55 of FIG. 2, partly broken away;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged exploded view of one of the flasks, partly broken away, and its stopper;

FIG. 7 is a view, enlarged and cross-sectional, taken on lines 77 of FIG. 2; and I FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7, but showing the stopper sealing the flask.

Similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout the different views.

In FIG. 1 there is shown a preferred embodiment of my sealing device 10 seated in operational position upon a standard type of freeze dryer 12. The freeze dryer 12 comprises a refrigeration chamber 14 encircled by' the usual refrigeration coils 16 and seated upon a housing 18. A manifold, or vacuum chamber 20 is disposed upon and integral with the refrigeration chamber 14 and is provided with'a peripheral ledge 22 around its base, adapted to support a tray 24. Within the refrigeration chamber 14 there is provided a vapor-deflector 26 seated upon the inlet line 28 of a vacuum pump (not shown) and a drain line 29 opening into the floor of the chamber 14 for waste disposal. The vacuum chamber 20 is provided with a plurality of ports 30 to which flasks may ordinarily be attached for dehydration of material. For the purposes herein, however, all of the ports 30 are maintained closed by vacuum valves (not shown) of the type heretofore referred to.

The tray 24 comprises a base plate 32, provided with a plurality of openings 34, and a support plate 36, secured together in parallel, spaced relationship by spacing elementS 38, the support plate 36 provided with a plurality of openings 40, each of which is large enough to receive and support a flask 42 in a fixed vertical position, with its base resting upon the base plate 32, as shown. Each of the flasks 42 comprises a body portion 44 and a reduced neck 46, and is provided with a stopper 48, preferably of rubber. The stoppers 48 comprise each an enlarged crown 50 and a hollow circular body 52 provided with a number of slots 54 extending upwards from the base of the body 52 approximately two-thirds of the way toward the crown 50, as shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and.8.

Coming now to the sealing device 10, there is provided a large, fairly thick circular plate 56, preferably of transparent plastic, which is provided with a central opening 58, and which is of a sufficient diameter to cover the open roof 60 of the vacuum chamber 20 whose peripheral wall 62 is provided with an insulating gasket 64, so that when the plate 56 is seated upon the roof 60 it rests against the gasket 64, thus providing a vacuum seal for the chamber 20 when the freeze dryer 12 is in operation. A hollow metal cylinder 66 is disposed through the opening 58 at right angles to the plane of the plate 56, the cylinder having a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the opening 58. The cylinder 66 is provided with an external flange 68 near its base and an external thread 70 extending downwardly from the flange 68 to the cylinder base 72, whereby the cylinder 66 is locked to the plate 56 at right angles by means of a lock nut 74 which is threaded to the base 72 below the plate 56. A rubber ring, or gasket, 76 is interposed between the flange 68 and the plate 56, and another gasket 76 interposed between the plate 56 and the lock nut 74, to provide a vacuum seal between the cylinder 66 and the plate 56, as shown by FIG. 5.

A sleeve 78, preferably made of heavy-wall rubber tubing suitable for high vacuum, is mounted upon the upper wall of the cylinder 66 in air-tight engagement thereto, and is slidable thereon by the application of a silicone grease to the outer wall-of the cylinder 66. A

push rod 80 is disposed within the cylinder 66, extending through the opening 58 in the plate 56 at its lower end and from the cylinder 66 and sleeve 78 at the other end. The push rod 80 is threaded externally at both ends, the lower end being screwed into a push plate 82, and the upper end screwed into a metal plug 84 having a reduced base 86, of a diameter slightly larger than the internal diameter of the sleeve 78, so that the plug base 86, forced into the upper Opening of the sleeve 78, provides an airtight, fixed engagement with the sleeve 78. The push plate 82 comprises a flat circular plate, likewise preferably made of a transparent plastic, having a diameter equal to the diameter of the tray 24, and, by its engagement to the push rod 80, is disposed below and parallel with the sealing plate 56, and is adapted to be moved toward and away from the sealing plate 56 by reciprocating movement of the push rod 80 within the cylinder 66 and through the opening 58 in the plate 56. Upward movement of the push plate 82 toward the sealing plate 56 beyond a specific range is restricted by the provision of a horizontally disposed pin 88 in the push rod 80 which is adapted to impinge against the sealing plate 56 and so prevent the sleeve 78 from slipping oif the cylinder 66, thereby retaining the interior of the sleeve 78 airtight at all times. The push rod 80 is of suflicient length so as to bring the push plate 82 down to abut the upper surfaces of the flasks 42 on the complete downward stroke. Downward movement of the rod 80 and push plate 82 is also arrested by the impingement of the base of the sleeve 78 against the flange 68.

A secondary sleeve 90, preferably made of metal, -although other suitable material, such as plastic, may be substituted, slightly longer than the sleeve 78 and having an inner diameter equal to the outer diameter of the sleeve 78, is provided as a protective covering for the sleeve 78 and, in combination with the plug 84, provides a hand-grip for reciprocating movement of the push rod 80 through the opening 58, the latter being of sufficient size as to permit free movement of the rod 80 therethrough. The sleeve 90 is provided with an internal thread 92 in its upper end, and the plug 84 with a matching external thread 94 around its reduced central portion 96, the respective threads 92 and 94'being adapted to mesh to lock the sleeve 90 to the plug 84.

In the operation of my sealing device 10, the tray '24, filled with flasks 42 containing organic or inorganic material to be dehydrated, is seated within the vacuum chamber 20 upon its ledge 22, as shown in FIG. 1. The

stoppers 48 are partially secured in the necks 46 of the respective flasks 42, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, so that the slots 54 provide openings between the flasks 42 and their respective stoppers 48. The sealing device is then seated upon the roof 60 of the vacuum chamber 20, resting upon the gasket 64, with the push plate 82 in raised position above the stoppers 48, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The freeze dryer 12 is then activated, and the suction of the vacuum within the chamber 20 against the plate 56 seals the latter to the chamber 20. The lowtemperature vacuum suction generated proceeds to dehydrate the material in the flasks 42, and evacuate these flasks 42, flow being maintained through the openings 34 in the tray 24. Following dehydration and evacuation, which may be noted through the transparent plates 56 and 82, and by other methods well known in the art, the

push plate 82 is forced downward upon the stoppers 48 by pushing the sleeves 78 and 90 down upon the cylinder .66, forcing the push rod 80 through the opening 58 in the sealing plate 56, driving the stoppers 48 completely into the flask necks 46 up to their crowns 50, so that the slots 54 are enclosed, as shown by FIGS. 3 and 8, and the flasks 42 completely vacuum-sealed thereby. The freeze dryer 12 may now be deactivated, and, with the cessation of vacuum suction against the undersurface of the plate 56, the sealing device 10 lifted from the chamher 20 and the tray 24 and flasks 42 removed. A second noted that the stopper crowns 50 are each provided with a central depression 98, which reduces the thickness of the crown 50 at such area. This depression is provided to permit more easily the insertion of a hypodermic needle therethrough to draw out the contents (such as a serum) under the existing vacuum conditions.

In the embodiment shown, the sealing plate 56.forms an element of the device 10. In many standard freeze drying apparati there is used a sealing plate for the vacuum chamber 20 which is identical with the sealing plate 56,

except that it lacks the central opening 58. As is obvious,

such a sealing platemay be utilized to form a part of the device 10 by making a central opening therein, similar to the opening 58 in the sealing plate 56, and securing the tubular cylinder 66 therethrough in the same manner as is shown by FIG. 5.

As is also apparent, the various elements forming the sealing device 10 are not restricted to any particular composition or compositions of material. described are preferred materials. pable of similar performance may be substituted.

What is shown and described, therefore, is by way of illustration only, and not of limitation, and various changes may be made in the construction, composition and arrangement of parts without limitation upon or departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof inherent therein, all of which are herein claimed.

Having described my invention, I claim;

1. In combination with a freeze drying apparatus of the type described, provided with a vacuum chamber,

a vacuum sealing device comprising a sealing plate provided with a central opening,

a tubular member disposed through the opening at right angles to the sealing plate,

means to lock the tubular member to the sealing plate in air-tight engagement,

a sleeve slidably mounted upon the tubular member,

a rod freely disposed within the tubular member and extending therefrom through each end thereof,

a push plate secured to the lower end of the rod and disposed below and parallel to the sealing plate, and.

a plug secured to the upper end of the rod, the base of the plug disposed within the upper opening in the sleeve in air-tight engagement therewith and 1 spaced from the tubular member to define a central pocket in the sleeve,

whereby reciprocal movement of the sleeve along the:

tubular member provides reciprocal movement to the push plate.

2. A vacuum sealing device as described in claim 1,:

including means provided on the rod to limit upward movement of the rod.

3. A vacuum sealing device as described in claim*2,.

the limiting means comprising a pin disposed through the rod transverse the axis of the rod.

4. In combination with a freeze drying apparatus of the type described, provided with a vacuum chamben:

a vacuum sealing device comprising a sealing plate provided with a central opening,

a tubular member disposed through the opening at right angles to the sealing plate, means to lock the tubular member to the sealing plate in air-tight engagement, a first sleeve slidably mounted on the tubular member,

a rod freely disposed within the tubular member and What has been Other materials ca the first sleeve in air-tight engagement therewith and spaced from the tubular member to define a central pocket in the sleeve,

the plug further provided with an enlarged crown and a reduced central portion having a diameter equal to the external diameter of the first sleeve and provided with an external thread, and

a second, substantially rigid, sleeve disposed to enclose the first sleeve, the second sleeve having an internal diameter equal to the external diameter of the first sleeve and an external diameter equal to the diameter of the plug crown,

the second sleeve being longer than the first sleeve and provided with an internal thread in the portion extending beyond the first sleeve,

the threads of the plug and of the second sleeve adapted to mesh to lock the second sleeve to the plug, whereby reciprocal movement of the sleeves along the tubular member provides reciprocal movement to the push plate. 5. A vacuum sealing device as described in claim 4, including means to limit reciprocal movement of the rod. 6. A vacuum sealing device as described in claim 5, the limiting means comprising a pin disposed through 10 the rod transverse the axis of the rod.

No references cited.

15 TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A FREEZE APPARATUS OF THE TYPE DESCRIBED, PROVIDED WITH A VACUUM CHAMBER, A VACUUM SEALING DEVICE COMPRISING A SEALING PLATE PROVIDED WITH A CENTRAL OPENING, A TUBULAR MEMBER DISPOSED THROUGH THE OPENING AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE SEALING PLATE, MEANS IN LOCK THE TUBULAR MEMBER TO THE SEALING PLATE IN AIR-TIGHT ENGAGEMENT, A SLEEVE SLIDABLY MOUNTED UPON THE TUBULAR MEMBER, A ROD FREELY DISPOSED WITHIN THE TUBULAR MEMBER AND EXTENDING THEREFROM THROUGH EACH END THEREOF, A PUSH PLATE SECURED TO THE LOWER END OF THE ROD AND DISPOSED BELOW AND PARALLEL TO THE SEALING PLATE, AND A PLUG SECURED TO THE UPPER END OF THE ROD, THE BASE OF THE PLUG DISPOSED WITHIN THE UPPER OPENING IN THE SLEEVE IN AIR-TIGHT ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH AND SPACED FROM THE TUBULAR MEMBER TO DEFINE A CENTRAL POCKET IN THE SLEEVE, WHEREBY RECIPROCAL MOVEMENT OF THE SLEEVE ALONG THE TUBULAR MEMBR PROVIED RECIPROCAL MOVEMENT TO THE PUSH PLATE. 